Scottish Executive

Aggregates Tax

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to monitor the financial impact of the implementation of the aggregates tax on local authorities.

Mr Andy Kerr: We have no specific plans to monitor the financial impact of the aggregates tax on local authorities. It is for authorities to manage their budgets and purchasing decisions.

Agricultural Holdings Bill

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20608 by Ross Finnie on 17 December 2001, on what date the draft Agricultural Holdings Bill will be published.

Ross Finnie: It remains my intention to issue a draft bill on Agricultural Holdings Legislation in the spring of this year. No date has yet been fixed for publication.

Agriculture

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the farm income figures for 2001.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is today publishing the Scottish farm income figures. The estimated figures show that Total Income from Farming (TIFF) rose by 11% in 2001 to £273 million.

  Compensation payments for animals culled due to foot-and-mouth disease do not count towards TIFF because they are payments for the loss of capital assets. These payments, which are estimated at around £165 million in Scotland, enter the accounts as capital transfers.

  Average Net Farm Income (NFI) is forecast to rise in 2001-02 by two-thirds to almost £9,600. Dairy and general cropping farms are forecast to show the greatest improvement in their financial position while the incomes of Less Favoured Area specialised sheep farms are expected to deteriorate with negative NFIs on average. Detailed estimates of the outputs, inputs and income of Scottish agriculture at both the aggregate level and by farm type will be published this morning and will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 18811).

Airports

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the investigation into possible rail links to Glasgow and Edinburgh airports will include examination of light rail transport as an option, either running on light track or sharing main line track.

Lewis Macdonald: Our consultants are looking at all options and will recommend which ones would merit further investigation. At this stage of the process nothing has been ruled in or out.

Ambulance Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the revenue allocation to the Scottish Ambulance Service for 2002-03.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Ambulance Service was given an indicative revenue allocation of £107.6 million for 2002-03 on 6 April 2001. Firm allocations for 2002-03 will be announced shortly.

Ambulance Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to provide sufficient revenue allocation in financial year 2002-03 to enable the Scottish Ambulance Service to convert any of its stations from operating on a non-call basis for some periods to full-time operation.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support moves in 2002-03 to convert either or both of the Scottish Ambulance Service stations at Peterhead and Fraserburgh from operating on a non-call basis for some periods to full-time operation.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive is currently reviewing the 2002-03 indicative allocation for the Scottish Ambulance Service against its proposed service developments. We expect to issue the allocations for 2002-03 in the near future.

Ambulance Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on which Scottish Ambulance Service stations could be converted to full-time operation rather than operating on a non-call basis for some periods.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Ambulance Service last year submitted to the department proposals to convert 10 selected ambulance stations from part-time to full-time operations thereby eliminating the reliance on on-call working in these areas. The proposals identified the expected patient care benefits, performance improvements, legal requirements and competing priorities.

Ambulance Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a risk assessment has been conducted comparing the operation of the Peterhead and/or Fraserburgh stations of the Scottish Ambulance Service on a non-call basis for some periods with full-time operation.

Malcolm Chisholm: Yes, such an assessment informed the Scottish Ambulance Service proposals to convert 10 selected ambulance stations, including Peterhead and Fraserburgh, from part-time to full-time operations.

Cancer

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the Scottish Health Plan, Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , what the current maximum wait is from urgent referral to treatment for children’s cancers and acute leukaemia.

Malcolm Chisholm: There are currently no formal waiting times for children with cancer, nor for people diagnosed with leukaemia. The diagnosis of leukaemia, particularly in children, is usually a clinical emergency warranting immediate admission for urgent treatment. For those cases not requiring immediate emergency admission, treatment is mostly commenced within one week of diagnosis.

Cancer

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the Scottish Health Plan, Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , whether it will set up an Information Task Group to develop better access to the information that cancer patients and their families need.

Malcolm Chisholm: The commitment to establish an Information Task Group was reaffirmed in Cancer in Scotland: Action for Change launched in July last year. The group has now been set up and met for the first time on 23 January 2002.

  Mr Ian Gibson, Director for Scotland and Northern Ireland, Macmillan Cancer Relief and a member of the Scottish Cancer Group, is chairman of the group. Its membership also includes patient, voluntary sector and regional cancer clinical network representatives from a variety of professions and disciplines. The group will report to the Scottish Cancer Group.

Cancer

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with the colorectal cancer screening project.

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funds have been allocated to the colorectal cancer screening project.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Scottish arm of the UK Colorectal Cancer Screening Pilot, which commenced in March 2000 at a cost of approximately £2.672 million, is progressing well.

  The final report of the independently commissioned Evaluation Group, which is evaluating the feasibility, practicality and acceptability of the pilot screening programme, is due in early 2003.

Cancer

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources have been allocated by health boards for further diagnostic testing and treatment as a consequence of positive results under the colorectal cancer screening project.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: This is a matter for Fife, Grampian and Tayside NHS Boards. The information requested is not held centrally.

Cancer

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is with regard to further diagnostic tests and treatments as a consequence of positive results for individuals participating in the colorectal cancer screening project.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Any individual who, as a result of participating in the screening pilot, has an overall positive Faecal Occult Blood test result is referred to a Specialist Nurse for explanation of their test result, potential investigations and their consequences.

  The patient then requires to make an informed choice about further investigations and following their agreement the nurse will refer them for a colonoscopy and where appropriate a barium enema. Following the diagnostic investigations, the patient will then follow the trust treatment protocols appropriate for their condition. If cancer is found, the treatment protocols will follow the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network Guidelines for colorectal cancer, which are currently being reviewed.

Children

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17052 by Nicol Stephen on 14 August 2001, when it will report on the first phase of the national evaluation of Sure Start Scotland.

Cathy Jamieson: Sure Start Scotland seeks to give a positive start to the lives of very young children by providing broad-based support to children and families from deprived areas.

  The first phase of the evaluation of Sure Start Scotland focused on mapping the provision of services. We will disseminate the findings shortly.

Cities

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings it has held with (a) the Sounding Board, (b) the Academic Panel and (c) any other public bodies in respect of its Review of Scotland’s Cities.

Iain Gray: During our review of Scotland’s cities we have met (a) three times with the Sounding Board, (b) twice with the Academic Panel and (c) approximately 75 times with other public, private, voluntary and community sector organisations.

Cities

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17829 by Angus MacKay on 26 September 2001, whether the membership of (a) the Sounding Board and (b) the Academic Panel has changed and, if so, whether it will give details of the current membership in each case.

Iain Gray: The membership of the Sounding Board and Academic Panel remains as reported in the answer given to question S1W-17829 on 30 August 2001, with the exception of Susan Dalgetty (who has withdrawn from the Sounding Board on taking up an appointment with the Scottish Executive) and Oonagh Aitken (who has been replaced by Albert Tait following her resignation as Chief Executive of COSLA and pending the appointment of a permanent replacement).

  Given that both bodies had been up and running for some months, it was decided that rather than add to their membership at this late stage, the views of other experts would instead be sought through bilateral contacts, city visits and the seminar programme as appropriate.

Cities

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) individuals and (b) groups have been invited to give evidence to, or otherwise participate in, any meetings it has held about its Review of Scotland’s Cities with (i) the Sounding Board, (ii) the Academic Panel and (iii) any other public bodies.

Iain Gray: Over 225 organisations and individuals from the public, private and voluntary sectors have contributed their views and evidence to the review through a variety of meetings, visits or seminars held as part of the first phase of the review.

Cities

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with its Review of Scotland’s Cities.

Iain Gray: The explanatory, evidence gathering, phase of the review was concluded in December 2001. This has involved ministers and the review team visiting each of the five cities, two seminars on the "working city" and the "living city" and a range of bilateral meetings with public, private and voluntary sector bodies across Scotland.

  We are now beginning more focused work on the key issues identified in the first phase.

Cities

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish the result of its Review of Scotland’s Cities.

Iain Gray: I expect the review to conclude in the spring of 2002.

Digital Inclusion

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what bids have been received from local authorities for areas to be pilot digital communities under the digital inclusion strategy.

Iain Gray: Twenty-nine local authorities submitted an expression of interest by the closing date, 30 November 2001. These were:

  


Aberdeen City 
  

East Lothian 
  

North Lanarkshire 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

Edinburgh 
  

Orkney 
  



Angus 
  

Falkirk 
  

Perth & Kinross 
  



Argyll & Bute 
  

Fife 
  

Renfrewshire 
  



Borders 
  

Glasgow 
  

Shetland 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

Highland 
  

Stirling 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

Inverclyde 
  

West Dunbartonshire 
  



Dundee 
  

Moray 
  

West Lothian 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

Midlothian 
  

Western Isles 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

North Ayrshire 
  






  Following careful consideration, six have been shortlisted for the next stage of the selection process. These are:

  Falkirk (Dawson)

  Renfrewshire (Foxbar, Paisley)

  West Dunbarton (Bellsmyre)

  Argyll & Bute (North Argyll Islands)

  Dumfries & Galloway (South Machars)

  East Ayrshire (Muirkirk)

  We expect to select one urban and one rural community at the end of March.

Digital Inclusion

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many public access internet points have been created since the launch of the digital inclusion strategy.

Iain Gray: The public internet access points initiative was announced as a part of the Executive’s Digital Inclusion Strategy (published September 2001). It will create over 1,000 new public internet access points in a wide range of different types of venue. We expect the first of the new public internet access points to be created in the spring of this year.

Domestic Abuse

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the Scottish Health Plan, Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , when it will publish guidelines to help health professionals recognise when women are experiencing domestic violence.

Malcolm Chisholm: A Short Life Working Group has prepared draft guidance on domestic abuse for all health care workers. This guidance explains the nature and prevalence of domestic abuse and its effects on health. It identifies the signs which may suggest abuse, establishes the principles which should inform practice and gives guidance on appropriate support and advice. The Short Life Working Group is currently consulting widely on the draft document, which is expected to be published in April 2002.

Education

Ian Jenkins (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Executive is considering a ban on formal marks for school work.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive has no plans to "ban" any particular approach to classroom assessment.

  The Assessment Action Group, chaired by Nicol Stephen, is considering the most effective ways of providing feedback to pupils. Methods of feedback will be evaluated by the action group before any recommendations are made.

Education

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the report of the Review of Educational Psychologists will be published.

Nicol Stephen: The report of the Review of Educational Psychologists is currently under consideration. It is expected to be published in February 2002.

Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to improve Secondary 1 and Secondary 2 subject courses and standards of attainment at those schools where such action is necessary.

Cathy Jamieson: Education authorities and headteachers are responsible for the quality of courses and standards of attainment in individual schools.

  The Scottish Executive is taking a range of action which will improve the quality of provision nationally in S1/S2. We have published revised curriculum guidelines, advice on curriculum flexibility and a clear statement of National Priorities. We are developing the Improvement Framework as the basis for improvement within individual schools and education authorities. We have provided support and resources for a range of key aspects of education, including literacy, numeracy and science, and through a number of initiatives such as the New Community Schools initiative. We have established the Assessment Development Programme, and are implementing the recommendations of the Discipline Task Group.

Education

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to promote the learning of foreign languages in Scotland’s schools.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive response to the Action Group on Languages report Citizens of a Multilingual World , published on 26 September 2001, highlighted a wide range of proposals to promote the learning of foreign languages in Scotland’s schools. Key recommendations include an entitlement to language education for every child which the Scottish Executive will support through an allocation of additional ring fenced funding for local authorities to invest in foreign language learning.

Enterprise

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish Enterprise consultants have undergone training in giving business advice and how much this has cost in each of the last three years.

Ms Wendy Alexander: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. The information requested is not held centrally.

Further and Higher Education

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any changes to the rates of support for further and higher education students which will apply in the academic year 2002-03.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Whilst opening Fife and Glenrothes Colleges' Institute of Applied Technology this morning I announced the new rates of support for students in further and higher education. I have, therefore, today placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre details of the rates of those loans, bursaries and grants, which will be available to eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students in full-time higher education in academic year 2002-03.

  A general uprating factor of 2.4%, in line with inflation, will be applied to the existing schemes of support in 2002-03, thus maintaining their value in real terms. We are also increasing by the same factor the standard rates of payment made to institutions by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.

  These changes are consistent with those for England and Wales announced by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills.

  I am also delighted to announce today the introduction of a means-tested bursary of up to £510 for young Scottish domiciled students from low-income families commencing full-time higher education courses elsewhere in the UK from August 2002. The full bursary will be available to students with a family income of £15,360 or less. This will bring the spending power of these students into line with that of young Scottish students studying in Scotland, following the changes introduced last year, without increasing overall borrowing. The bursary will be available whether or not a student chooses to take out his or her full loan entitlement. We are also removing the anomaly whereby better-off parents are currently expected to contribute less if their children study elsewhere in the United Kingdom. From August 2002, the minimum loan for young students commencing courses outside Scotland will therefore be reduced to £1,870. These changes can be introduced at no additional cost. The arrangements for these students otherwise remain unchanged.

  The Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) has also agreed to maintain the alignment between the further and higher education sectors by, where appropriate, uprating the support available to further education students by 2.4%.

  SFEFC have also taken this opportunity to offer FE colleges some flexibility in the administration of the additional discretionary funding available to students.

Genetically Modified Crops

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish details of the final sites chosen to grow spring-sown genetically modified oilseed rape.

Ross Finnie: The selection of proposed sites where crops of GM spring-sown oilseed rape may be sown takes place independently of government. It is anticipated that the selected sites will be notified to the Scottish Executive and UK Government around 31 January and will be published immediately thereafter.

  The procedure for identifying possible trial sites and alerting the public to the proposals was detailed in a Scottish Executive News Release dated 18 January.

Health

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to contain and manage winter viruses in the National Health Service.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS trusts have been reminded that maintaining rigorous hygiene and infection control practices in line with existing guidance are the key to controlling winter viruses in our hospitals.

  In addition, a new national system of surveillance of hospital-acquired infection has been established by the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health with funding from the Scottish Executive. The Executive is also investing in extra infection control training for nurses. Through the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland, new national standards have been set for the control of healthcare acquired infection. This year’s first round of independent assessments of performance against this standard will lead to a report as soon as possible. These measures will help to ensure that current comprehensive guidance on infection control continues to be followed and that risks to patients and staff are reduced as far as possible.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the Scottish Health Plan, Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , how it plans to monitor the effectiveness of NHS Boards’ antenatal and postnatal parent education and support programmes.

Malcolm Chisholm: A Framework for Maternity Services in Scotland , published in 2001, requires NHS Boards to provide parent education programmes and support to parents as part of their maternity strategies. The Scottish Executive is currently conducting an audit of these strategies against the principles laid out in the   framework . 

  The Health Education Board for Scotland, the Scottish Executive Health Department and the Royal College of Midwives held a stakeholder event in November 2001 to review approaches to antenatal and parent education with midwives, health visitors and parents. A follow up event is planned in March.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the Scottish Health Plan , Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , when it will issue guidance on the education of children who are too ill to attend school.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive’s Guidance on Education of Children Absent from School Through Ill-Health was issued on 19 December 2001, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 18538).

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the Scottish Health Plan, Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , how it is supporting local authorities and health boards in implementing a single shared needs assessment by health or social care professionals for older people and people with dementia.

Hugh Henry: We have set up a dedicated team to implement single shared assessment for older people in the first instance and a reference group to advise it. More directly, we issued guidance in setting out the key steps to implementation and the essential infrastructures we expect to be in place by 1 April 2002. And to promote and support implementation locally, we held regional seminars and are currently visiting every local authority area. Single shared assessment will be extended to the rest of community care in the course of 2002-03.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the Scottish Health Plan, Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , when it will introduce National Services Frameworks in the three clinical priority areas.

Malcolm Chisholm: Cancer in Scotland: Action for Change was published in July 2001. The Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland was issued in September 1997 and has subsequently been updated. The Executive established a CHD/Stroke Task Force which reported in September 2001. Following consultation, which is now complete, the strategy for Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke is expected to be ready for publication this spring.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the Scottish Health Plan, Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , how many rapid access chest pain clinics there were, or will be, in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03.

Malcolm Chisholm: We are currently seeking this information from NHS trusts and will reply to the member as soon as possible.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the Scottish Health Plan,  Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , when the audit document to help all agencies identify their role in the care and custody of people with mental health problems will be published.

Malcolm Chisholm: The promised planning and audit document was published on 12 February 2001 and sent to all relevant agencies. A copy is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 12345).

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the Scottish Health Plan, Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , how it is monitoring the training and awareness of staff about existing good practice on disability issues.

Malcolm Chisholm: Progress on implementing good practice on staff issues relating to disability will be made through the Staff Governance Standard which I launched on 25 January at the Scottish Partnership Forum Conference. The Standard requires NHS employers to ensure Partnership Information Network guidelines such as the Equal Opportunities Guideline which includes disability are implemented and progressed. In addition, a self assessment audit on the implementation of "Learning Together", the Strategy for Education and Lifelong Learning for NHSScotland staff to ensure all staff are appropriately trained, will be undertaken by the local partnership forum.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the Scottish Health Plan , Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , how the establishment of a new Staff Governance standard for the NHS in Scotland is progressing.

Malcolm Chisholm: I launched the Staff Governance Standard on 25 January at the Scottish Partnership Conference. A copy of the Standard is available on the Health Department website.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the Scottish Health Plan , Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , when it plans to introduce a new Leadership Development Programme for NHS managers.

Malcolm Chisholm: A range of leadership development programmes have been supported by the Executive and delivered in local NHS organisations since the publication of the Scottish Health Plan. In addition, the National Leadership Programme, Xceed, launched in April 2001, is currently providing leadership to a range of NHS personnel including doctors, nurses administrative and other staff engaged in managerial functions. The programme has been well received and demand for places has been, and continues to be, very high.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the Scottish Health Plan, Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , when it plans to introduce schemes to recognise and value staff commitment through long service awards and good service awards.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Partnership Forum Partnership Information Network (PIN) Board has set up a Guideline Development Group to produce a PIN Guideline on Long and Good Service Awards. The group’s membership comprises of health service managers and nominations from trade union and the professions. The group will deliver a draft document for consultation in the summer and issue during autumn.

Health

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average size of GP patient lists has been in each health board area in each of the last three years, and what the current figures are.

Malcolm Chisholm: The average size of GP patient lists for each health board area in the years 1998 to 2001 is shown in the following table.

  Average Size of GP Patient Lists 1, by Health Board: 1998-20012

  Based on Whole-Time Equivalent (WTE)

  





1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  



Scotland 
  

1,527 
  

1,523 
  

1,510 
  

1,508 
  



Argyll & Clyde 
  

1,445 
  

1,439 
  

1,415 
  

1,406 
  



Ayrshire & Arran 
  

1,558 
  

1,556 
  

1,539 
  

1,539 
  



Borders 
  

1,374 
  

1,348 
  

1,351 
  

1,365 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

1,248 
  

1,260 
  

1,254 
  

1,243 
  



Fife 
  

1,564 
  

1,551 
  

1,528 
  

1,529 
  



Forth Valley 
  

1,501 
  

1,500 
  

1,494 
  

1,498 
  



Grampian 
  

1,559 
  

1,559 
  

1,543 
  

1,533 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

1,614 
  

1,611 
  

1,600 
  

1,610 
  



Highland 
  

1,140 
  

1,121 
  

1,104 
  

1,091 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

1,734 
  

1,732 
  

1,728 
  

1,722 
  



Lothian 
  

1,605 
  

1,597 
  

1,586 
  

1,588 
  



Orkney 
  

797 
  

792 
  

806 
  

768 
  



Shetland 
  

1,185 
  

1,178 
  

1,179 
  

1,175 
  



Tayside 
  

1,531 
  

1,545 
  

1,529 
  

1,522 
  



Western Isles 
  

945 
  

967 
  

953 
  

944 
  



  Source: General Medical Practitioner Database Information & Statistics Division. NHSScotland.

  Notes:

  1. The average list size of a health board is calculated as follows:

  for WTE basis - by dividing the total number of patients registered with GPs by the total estimated WTE of unrestricted principals and their equivalents in PMS practices (UPEs). Vacant posts and the patients attached to these posts are included in the calculations.

  2. Data for 1998-2000 are as at 1 October. Data for 2001 are as at 1 April and are provisional.

Health

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of junior doctor training posts complied with the average 56-hour weekly duty limit in each year since 1991, broken down by (a) NHS and health board and (b) NHS trust.

Malcolm Chisholm: Comprehensive information on compliance with junior doctor hour’s limits is not available prior to 1999 and does not reflect the current configuration of NHS Scotland (NHSS) Trusts or the current New Deal contract for junior doctors. The New Contract for junior doctors phases in compliance with New Deal hour’s limits over a three-year period according to grade. Compliance for Pre Registration House Officers (PRHO) was made obligatory from 1 August 2001. Senior House Officers (SHO) and Specialist Registrars (SpR) are to be compliant from 1 August 2003.

  The following table shows the current configuration of NHSS Trusts (column A); and the number and percentage of compliant junior doctor posts declared by trusts for the period 1999-2001 (column B). These figures include the SHO and SpR grades for which New Deal compliance is not yet mandatory. Column C shows the % compliance of PRHO grades over the same period.

  The New Deal Implementation Support Group (ISG) was established by the Minister for Health and Community Care in September 1999 as a partnership arrangement between the Scottish Executive Health Department and the Scottish Junior Doctor Committee (SJDC) of the BMA. The group’s remit is to work with NHSS trusts in identifying appropriate measures at local level to secure compliance with the New Deal.

  The work of the ISG has concentrated on obtaining increasingly accurate data on New Deal compliance by NHSS Trusts. These efforts are reflected in the levels of compliance recorded since 1999. NHSS Trusts, the Scottish Executive Health Department and the BMA all agree that current data on compliance is an accurate reflection of those posts that meet New Deal limits both on hours of work and rest.

  


A 
  

B 
  

C 
  



 Trust 
  

All Grade Compliance 
  

PRHO 
  



1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  



No 
  

% 
  

No 
  

% 
  

No 
  

% 
  

% 
  

% 
  

% 
  



Argyll & Clyde Acute 
  

133 
  

76 
  

80 
  

51 
  

98 
  

47 
  

82 
  

27 
  

100 
  



Ayrshire & Arran Acute 
  

100 
  

55 
  

82 
  

44 
  

64 
  

28 
  

38 
  

25 
  

100 
  



Ayrshire & Arran PC 
  

13 
  

100 
  

19 
  

100 
  

14 
  

100 
  

0 
  

0 
  

01




Borders General 
  

4 
  

8 
  

43 
  

86 
  

26 
  

43 
  

0 
  

45 
  

100 
  



Borders Primary Care 
  

6 
  

100 
  

7 
  

100 
  

14 
  

100 
  

0 
  

0 
  

01




Dumfries & Galloway PC 
  

10 
  

100 
  

13 
  

100 
  

12 
  

100 
  

0 
  

0 
  

01




Dumfries & Galloway Acute 
  

53 
  

84 
  

64 
  

89 
  

49 
  

70 
  

100 
  

100 
  

100 
  



Fife Acute 
  

89 
  

65 
  

30 
  

24 
  

68 
  

43 
  

52 
  

0 
  

84 
  



Fife Primary Care 
  

15 
  

75 
  

6 
  

40 
  

18 
  

100 
  

0 
  

0 
  

01




Forth Valley Primary Care 
  

13 
  

100 
  

13 
  

100 
  

15 
  

100 
  

0 
  

0 
  

01




Forth Valley Acute 
  

42 
  

33 
  

88 
  

59 
  

55 
  

39 
  

0 
  

21 
  

100 
  



Glasgow Primary Care 
  

32 
  

60 
  

53 
  

100 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

01




Grampian Primary Care 
  

32 
  

90 
  

40 
  

89 
  

49 
  

100 
  

0 
  

0 
  

100 
  



Grampian Acute 
  

236 
  

51 
  

129 
  

34 
  

218 
  

48 
  

36 
  

4 
  

90 
  



Highland Primary Care 
  

3 
  

33 
  

9 
  

100 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

100 
  



Highland Acute 
  

87 
  

66 
  

25 
  

24 
  

54 
  

42 
  

70 
  

8 
  

100 
  



Lanarkshire Acute 
  

147 
  

61 
  

88 
  

35 
  

178 
  

73 
  

49 
  

37 
  

100 
  



Lanarkshire Primary Care 
  

0 
  

0 
  

7 
  

54 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

01




Lomond & Argyll PC 
  

5 
  

36 
  

15 
  

100 
  

9 
  

64 
  

0 
  

0 
  

01




Lothian Primary Care 
  

23 
  

58 
  

57 
  

100 
  

75 
  

80 
  

0 
  

0 
  

01




Lothian Acute 
  

292 
  

70 
  

213 
  

40 
  

337 
  

55 
  

64 
  

34 
  

86 
  



North Glasgow Acute 
  

483 
  

77 
  

158 
  

34 
  

386 
  

52 
  

69 
  

6 
  

100 
  



Renfrewshire & Inverclyde PC 
  

19 
  

100 
  

17 
  

100 
  

17 
  

100 
  

0 
  

0 
  

01




South Glasgow Acute 
  

149 
  

51 
  

91 
  

31 
  

186 
  

61 
  

21 
  

7 
  

100 
  



Tayside Primary Care 
  

19 
  

79 
  

27 
  

100 
  

29 
  

53 
  

100 
  

0 
  

100 
  



Tayside Acute 
  

242 
  

78 
  

175 
  

67 
  

230 
  

46 
  

94 
  

67 
  

100 
  



West Lothian 
  

57 
  

75 
  

56 
  

62 
  

41 
  

33 
  

44 
  

0 
  

45 
  



Yorkhill 
  

30 
  

28 
  

102 
  

92 
  

76 
  

64 
  

0 
  

100 
  

100 
  



  Note:

  1. These NHSS Trusts do not have PRHO training grades.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recommendations made in the report by the Accounts Commission for Scotland, Full House – Theatre Utilisation in Scottish Hospitals , have been implemented in full and what measures have been or will be put in place to ensure greater utilisation of hospital theatres.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Accounts Commission report Full House - Theatre Utilisation in Scottish Hospitals , which was published in June 1999, highlighted that hospitals were generally performing well in the delivery of services, but that there were variations in how well hospitals and surgical specialties used operating theatre time. The report made a number of recommendations for actions to maximise the use of NHSScotland theatre times.

  Theatre utilisation has an impact on waiting times experienced by NHSScotland patients. The Scottish Executive has made reducing waiting, particularly in the clinical priority areas of cancer and heart disease, a key priority for NHSScotland. NHS trusts are responsible for making plans and taking actions, including organising theatre capacity and availability, to achieve waiting times targets. Waiting times performance is monitored by the Health Department and NHS boards and trusts are held to account for their performance.

Health

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the report of the Chief Medical Officer’s Expert Group on the Healthcare of Older People.

Hugh Henry: I am pleased to be able to announce that the expert group's report, entitled Adding Life to Years,  is published today. We are also publishing in association with it the results of a specially-commissioned MORI survey on public attitudes to the healthcare of older people and a report prepared by the Information and Statistics Division of the Common Services Agency which takes the form of a comprehensive examination of the demography, health and social circumstances of Scotland's older people over the next 30 years. Copies of each of these documents have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

  The work of the expert group will help us to take forward a key commitment, set out in Our National Health, a plan for action a plan for change, about addressing concerns regarding the healthcare of older people. Today's report tells us how we can make the shift in emphasis needed to put older people at the top of NHSScotland's agenda.

Higher Education

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects the current number of lecturers employed in higher education to be maintained.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Decisions on staffing levels are a matter for individual institutions.

Hospitals

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the proposed Midlothian Community Hospital at Bonnyrigg to become operational.

Malcolm Chisholm: I understand from NHS Lothian that the hospital is likely to be completed in 2004-05.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there was an overspend on the Individual Learning Accounts scheme and, if so, what amount was involved.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The final costs of the scheme for the current year are not yet known but as part of the normal budget monitoring process the department has been advised by the Enterprise Networks of the possibility of an overspend. As a result, the department has made available further provision of up to £3 million to meet that eventuality.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it first received representations from individuals alleging that Individual Learning Account providers had claimed incentives without individuals’ knowledge.

Ms Wendy Alexander: We first received such representations on 8 August 2001.

Justice

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when its review of the law relating to aggravated bail will be concluded.

Mr Jim Wallace: To inform the review, two separate but related research projects were planned. The first was completed in June 2001 and concluded, among other things, that under half of all charges proved between April 1996 and March 2000 involving offending on bail attracted an aggravated sentence; that the practice of imposing aggravated sentences had declined slightly over that period; and that the greatest use of aggravated sentences was made by the High Court and sheriff solemn courts. The second research project is scheduled to commence in March and be completed early in 2003. We aim to complete the review in the middle of that year.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether provision for a right to buy for farm tenants can be included within the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Ross Finnie: I do not intend to include provisions for a tenant farmer right to buy within the Land Reform Bill. I am, however, considering whether the forthcoming Agricultural Holdings Bill, which will reform agricultural tenancy arrangements, should include provisions that would introduce a pre-emptive right for some farm tenants to buy their holding from a selling landlord.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what benefit will result from the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill for the North East of Scotland parliamentary region.

Ross Finnie: The access provisions of the bill apply equally to the whole of Scotland and will not only provide the public with greater confidence to visit the Scottish countryside, but will result in more opportunities for them to do so by the creation of new paths. There is growing interest in outdoor recreation on the part of both Scots themselves and visitors from elsewhere. The legislation will help encourage greater participation in outdoor pursuits, creating opportunities for rural communities and bringing benefits to rural economies.

  The community right to buy will benefit rural communities in the North East, and throughout Scotland, by providing greater opportunities for them to determine their own future. It will enable them to register an interest in, and subsequently purchase, land with which they can demonstrate a connection. This will provide rural communities with a right to buy when the land which is subject to the registered interest comes to be sold, and time to raise the necessary funding. Community ownership of land can bring social, economic and environmental benefits to rural communities.

  The North East of Scotland parliamentary region should have the same opportunity to benefit from these proposals as other areas to which the legislation applies.

Local Government

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it issues any guidance to local authorities concerning payment of councillors’ allowances and expenses in advance.

Peter Peacock: Local authorities are required to set up and administer schemes for payment of allowances to council members. There is general guidance on the payment of allowances but no specific guidance has been issued on the payment of allowances and expenses in advance.

Local Government Finance

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to change the guidance issued to local authorities in regard to applications from local authorities for Private Finance Initiative/Public Private Partnerships projects.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive Education Department invited local authorities to bid for a share of funding for revenue support for Public Private Partnership school buildings projects in Circular 8/2001 which was issued on 26 September 2001. The circular outlines the bidding process and there are no plans to reissue or revise it.

Ministerial Correspondence

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Health and Community Care will reply to my letter of 4 October 2001 regarding returners to the nursing profession.

Malcolm Chisholm: My office has advised that the records show a response to the member’s letter was issued on 24 October 2001.

  I have issued a further response to the member, updating him on the issues regarding nurses wishing to return to practice.

Ministerial Correspondence

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Health and Community Care will reply to my letter of 21 November 2001 regarding the multiple sclerosis Fair Treatment campaign.

Malcolm Chisholm: A reply to this letter was issued on 22 January 2002.

National Cultural Strategy

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support local theatre in line with the objectives of the National Cultural Strategy.

Dr Elaine Murray: A major funding package worth £3.5 million for Scotland’s theatre sector over this and the coming two years was announced by my colleague Mike Watson, on Monday 28 January. The Scottish Art Council, will determine the allocation and distribution of these resources, within the general objective of raising the quality of the production in the theatre sector in Scotland. Local authorities also have a vitally important role in the support of local theatres in their areas, according to their own strategic objectives.

Nuclear Power

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on the economy of the Dumfries and Galloway area of premature closure of the Chapelcross Power Station.

Lewis Macdonald: My officials have been in discussion with BNFL, the owners of Chapelcross Power Station, and with Scottish Enterprise Dumfries and Galloway about the company’s closure plans. These discussions are continuing.

Nurses

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20836 by Malcolm Chisholm on 24 December 2001, whether it will provide the figures on the number of district nurses employed broken down by health board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table shows the whole time equivalent of district nurses in post at 30 September in each of the years 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 by health board. Data for the year 2000 are the latest available.

  District Nurses directly employed by NHSScotland by Health Board

  Whole Time Equivalent at 30 September:

  





1996 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000P




Scotland1


1,780.0 
  

1,799.7 
  

1,852.5 
  

1,940.7 
  

1,935.8 
  



Argyll and Clyde 
  

155.0 
  

157.9 
  

154.7 
  

159.0 
  

147.5 
  



Ayrshire & Arran 
  

146.6 
  

150.9 
  

158.7 
  

160.2 
  

157.5 
  



Borders 
  

9.1 
  

8.2 
  

7.6 
  

9.4 
  

10.0 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

47.1 
  

45.5 
  

52.9 
  

62.3 
  

67.4 
  



Fife 
  

137.1 
  

105.2 
  

109.9 
  

145.7 
  

150.2 
  



Forth Valley 
  

122.9 
  

129.7 
  

130.3 
  

138.1 
  

136.1 
  



Grampian 
  

162.7 
  

161.0 
  

164.5 
  

158.2 
  

158.4 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

354.0 
  

360.9 
  

359.2 
  

354.3 
  

343.5 
  



Highland 
  

52.5 
  

51.4 
  

63.1 
  

65.4 
  

70.1 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

152.1 
  

150.5 
  

146.8 
  

184.9 
  

184.0 
  



Lothian 
  

267.4 
  

276.0 
  

287.5 
  

299.1 
  

296.8 
  



Orkney 
  

14.5 
  

15.5 
  

14.6 
  

12.7 
  

13.7 
  



Shetland 
  

7.1 
  

7.7 
  

9.3 
  

8.7 
  

9.7 
  



Tayside 
  

151.3 
  

178.9 
  

193.3 
  

182.7 
  

190.8 
  



Common Services Agency 
  

0.5 
  

0.5 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  



  Source: National Manpower Statistics from Payroll (NAMs) ISD Scotland.

  P Provisional.

  Note:

  1. Total includes district nursing teaching staff working in the field without a District Nurse qualification.

Planning

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any financial interest on the part of East Lothian Council in the planning application before the council for developments in the area of Aberlady Bay and whether it will call in any application in respect of Aberlady Bay should it become aware of any financial interest in the application on the part of the council.

Ms Margaret Curran: We are not aware of any financial interest by East Lothian Council although it would be possible for the council to enter into an agreement with the developer for the provision of certain infrastructure associated with the development. This is standard practice where infrastructure improvements are required to support the development.

  The circumstances in which councils are required to notify a planning application to the Scottish ministers are given in SODD Circular 4/97, Notification of Planning Applications. These include any development in which the council has a financial or land interest where the proposal does not accord with the development plan or where there has been a substantial body of objection. It is for the council to consider the terms of any notification direction and to act accordingly. If the application is notified to the Scottish ministers, any decision to call it in will be based on a thorough assessment of the planning issues involved.

Planning

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it takes to ensure that local authorities fulfil their obligations set out in SODD circular 4/1997, Notification of Planning Applications , to notify it about certain applications and, in particular, any in which the council has a financial interest.

Ms Margaret Curran: It is for the planning authority to consider the terms of any direction requiring the notification of a particular planning application, or category of planning applications, to the Scottish ministers and to act accordingly. Where a planning authority failed to comply with such a direction, and issued planning permission, it could be leaving itself open to, for example, an application to the courts for judicial review of the planning decision, or possibly a complaint to the Ombudsman on the grounds of maladministration.

Planning

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a local authority may make planning decisions on the basis of a local plan which is subject to legal challenge.

Ms Margaret Curran: An application to the Court of Session challenging a local plan may seek an interim order suspending such local plan either wholly or in part or generally or in relation to specific property owned by the applicant. If such an order were granted by the court it would have the effect of suspending the local plan to the extent set out in the order, and to that extent the planning authority would not be in a position to take the local plan or the relevant part of it into account in making a planning decision.

  Otherwise, it would be a matter for the planning authority to consider in the individual circumstances of each case whether or not it would be appropriate to make a planning decision taking into account a particular local plan in circumstances where although the local plan has been the subject of a court challenge, as yet undetermined, it has not actually been suspended.

Police

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what areas have been identified as being in need of further examination following the report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland, Second Year Review of Scottish Criminal Record Office Primary Inspection of 2000 .

Mr Jim Wallace: This report highlighted the commitment demonstrated by Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) to continuous improvement. The primary report made 17 recommendations as well as five suggestions for improvement in a variety of areas. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland (HMIC) found that six of the recommendations and three of the suggestions had been fully discharged. HMIC will, however, look for evidence of further development and improvement at the 3rd year review in the following areas:

  the arrangements for the annual performance review of senior staff;

  the consideration of the Director of SCRO’s scheme of delegation as part of the repositioning of SCRO within a new common police services agreement;

  the development of outcome performance measures for each of the bureaux within SCRO;

  the development of an absence management policy, and

  the establishment of a service level agreement between SCRO and Strathclyde Joint Police Board detailing services and costs.

  There are also five recommendations related to finance and the financial procedures within SCRO which are being taken forward in conjunction with the Scottish Executive.

Pre-School Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to implement the recommendations of the report prepared by the University of Aberdeen, Pre-School Education Provision in Rural Areas and, in particular, to address any gap between the number of eligible pre-school children and the provision of places in remote areas and any difficulties of access in intermediate areas, together with the level of costs involved, and to provide additional funding for the provision of pre-school provision in remote and intermediate areas.

Cathy Jamieson: The findings of the report are based on data collected between October 1998 and June 1999. Since then, the number of three- and four-year-olds attending part-funded pre-school education has risen significantly across Scotland. All four-year-olds now have access to a funded part-time pre-school place, and we expect that all three-year-olds will have access to a place by April 2002.

  From April 2002, all local authorities will be placed under a duty to provide a free part-time pre-school education place to all three- and four-year-olds whose parents want one. To take account of the additional cost of pre-school provision in rural areas, the pre-school education grant, which from April 2002 will be re-integrated into the local government settlement, includes a rural weighting. For 2002-03, this rural weighting will be worth £6.4 million.

Prison Service

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20313 on 17 December 2001 by Mr Jim Wallace, when it will announce the date of publication of the Scottish Prison Service Estates Review.

Mr Jim Wallace: Publication will coincide with the start of the consultation process, likely to commence within the next couple of months.

Recycling

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce targets for recycling waste.

Ross Finnie: The introduction of recycling targets will be informed by the findings of the Area Waste Plans currently being developed as part of the National Waste Strategy. This will ensure that the Best Practicable Environmental Option for dealing with waste in each area has been taken into account before targets are established.

Rural Development

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the nature is of preparatory work being undertaken to identify appropriate indicators from a rural perspective in relation to the report by the Rural Poverty and Inclusion Working Group, Poverty and Social Exclusion in Rural Scotland ; who is undertaking this work, and when it will be completed and the findings published.

Ross Finnie: The Executive’s Central Research Unit are currently taking forward preparatory work to identify indicators for possible inclusion in the new Index of Deprivation that is being developed as part of the Neighbourhood Statistics Strategy. This involves an analysis of the Scottish Household Survey and other relevant datasets, which will help us to explore further some of the issues raised by the Rural Poverty and Inclusion Working Group, and identify measures which could be used as indicators in a rural context.

  The preparatory work will be completed by late spring and will feed into work on the development of the new Index of Deprivation, which will be completed in 2003.

Rural Development

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in addressing the findings of the report by the Rural Poverty and Inclusion Working Group , Poverty and Social Exclusion in Rural Scotland and what action plan and timetable have been drawn up against which progress can be monitored.

Ross Finnie: The Minister for Social Justice and I are currently taking forward work in response to the issues raised in the report of the Rural Poverty and Inclusion Working Group, Poverty and Social Exclusion in Rural Scotland . This will include engaging with external bodies that have a role in progressing some of the report’s recommendations.

  We are also taking action to ensure, where appropriate, that we can disaggregate all the Social Justice Milestones on a rural/urban basis – providing proxy measures where this is not currently possible - and that rural issues are taken into account within the new Index of Deprivation that is being developed as part of the Neighbourhood Statistics Strategy. Progress will be reported on in the Executive’s Social Justice Annual Report.

Rural Development

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent rural benchmarking is taking place in respect of the 29 social justice milestones as referred to in the report by the Rural Poverty and Inclusion Working Group, Poverty and Social Exclusion in Rural Scotland .

Ross Finnie: Where data was readily available, analysis in the 2001 Social Justice Annual Report contained a rural/urban breakdown against the milestones. Work on rural benchmarking of the other social justice milestones is currently being carried out in-house within the Scottish Executive. Consultation is under way both within the Executive and with external dataholders to investigate the provision of proxy measures against the milestones for rural Scotland.

Rural Development

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to establish an organisation to undertake work similar to that carried out by Rural Forum and, if so, what progress has been made in determining how such an organisation will be set up and what its functions will be.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive, together with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Homes and COSLA, commissioned EKOS Limited to investigate the mechanisms which exist or are required to support rural communities. The report of this study was received in the summer of 2001, and has been passed to the Scottish National Rural Partnership for further consideration and advice.

Rural Development

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the Rural Parliament which exists in Sweden and whether it plans to establish a Rural Parliament.

Allan Wilson: We are aware of the Rural Parliament which exists in Sweden, and will consider carefully any lessons of relevance to rural Scotland. However, we have no plans to establish a Rural Parliament here in Scotland.

Schools

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to stamp out violence against school staff.

Nicol Stephen: There is no place in Scotland's schools for violent or abusive behaviour.

  The Scottish Executive currently funds a number of initiatives aimed at improving discipline, addressing bullying and developing a positive ethos in schools.

  In addition, the report of the Discipline Task Group, Better Behaviour - Better Learning, made 36 recommendations aimed at improving discipline in Scotland’s schools. The Action Plan, published in December 2001, sets out how these recommendations will be implemented.

Schools

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to combat bullying in schools.

Cathy Jamieson: Bullying in Scotland's schools is unacceptable and is an issue that the Scottish Executive takes very seriously. We are committed to helping schools and education authorities to develop effective approaches to tackling bullying. Guidance has been issued to assist schools and education authorities in addressing this problem and to support pupils and families. HMI inspections can include an examination of the existence and content of suitable anti-bullying policies in Scotland’s schools.

  In addition, the Executive is working to reduce bullying in Scotland's schools by:

  funding the Scottish Anti-Bullying Network, which disseminates examples of good practice highlighting effective strategies for tackling bullying and provides information to teachers, parents and young people;

  funding the Scottish Schools Ethos Network, which aims to encourage the creation of a positive ethos in schools;

  providing funding to underwrite ChildLine Anti-Bullying HelpLine, to ensure that the special bullying helpline continues as a free, confidential and excellent service to children in trouble, and

  the implementation of the 36 recommendations made by the Discipline Task Group, many of which will have a significant and positive impact on bullying in schools.

Student Finance

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received in regard to student debt.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The issue of student debt has been the subject of correspondence with ministers and officials on a number of occasions since the introduction of student loans in 1990.

Teacher Training

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used by teacher training institutions to determine whether epilepsy awareness training is included in their course programmes.

Nicol Stephen: No information is held centrally on what criteria are used by teacher education institutions (TEIs) to determine whether epilepsy awareness training is included in their course programmes. This is a matter for TEIs and I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-19773 on 11 December 2001.

Tobacco Advertising

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of the Scottish Health Plan , Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , when it plans to ban tobacco advertising.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive is committed to achieving a ban on tobacco advertising and promotion in Scotland which is both effective and enforceable. We do not rule out Scottish legislation at some point, but consider that UK wide action would enable a much more comprehensive ban to be delivered. The UK Government is committed to legislate to effect a ban during the lifetime of the current Westminster Parliament and we have been pressing hard and consistently for this to be done as soon as possible. We are following with interest the progress in the House of Lords of the Lord Clement-Jones Bill to ban tobacco advertising and promotion.

Tourism

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many visitors there were to each tourist board area in each of the last three years, expressed also as a ratio of the budget for each board in each year.

Mike Watson: The information in respect of 1998, 1999 and 2000 is shown in the following table. Information for 2001 is not yet available.

  Number of Visitors (millions) to each ATB 1998-2000

  


Area Tourist Board 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

20001




Number of Visitors 
  

Ratio of the budget for 1998-993


Number of Visitors 
  

Ratio of the budget for 1999-20003


Number of Visitors 
  

Ratio of the budget for 2000-013




Aberdeen & Grampian 
  

1.6 
  

0.93 
  

1.3 
  

0.63 
  

2.1 
  

0.91 
  



Angus & Dundee 
  

0.5 
  

0.52 
  

0.5 
  

0.54 
  

0.9 
  

0.98 
  



Argyll, the Isles, Loch Lomand, Stirling and Trossachs 
  

1.8 
  

0.55 
  

1.7 
  

0.52 
  

2.7 
  

0.84 
  



Ayrshire & Arran 
  

1.1 
  

0.83 
  

1 
  

0.75 
  

1 
  

0.84 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

0.7 
  

0.65 
  

0.7 
  

0.76 
  

1.3 
  

1.4 
  



Edinburgh & Lothians 
  

2.8 
  

0.8 
  

2.7 
  

0.68 
  

4.3 
  

1.16 
  



Greater Glasgow & Clyde Valley 
  

2.3 
  

0.72 
  

2.3 
  

0.75 
  

3.9 
  

1.12 
  



Highlands of Scotland 
  

2.1 
  

0.72 
  

2 
  

0.69 
  

3.2 
  

0.99 
  



Kingdom of Fife 
  

0.9 
  

0.92 
  

0.8 
  

0.81 
  

0.9 
  

0.89 
  



Perthshire 
  

0.7 
  

0.5 
  

0.7 
  

0.53 
  

1.3 
  

1.02 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

0.5 
  

0.39 
  

0.5 
  

0.37 
  

2.8 
  

1.85 
  



Islands ATBs2


N/A 
  




N/A 
  




N/A 
  






  Sources: United Kingdom Tourism Survey, International Passenger Survey.

  Notes:

  1. Revised methodology applied to United Kingdom Tourism Survey.

  2. Sample size for Orkney Tourist Board, Shetland Isles Tourist Board and the Western Isles Tourist Board is too small for a robust estimate of the data.

  3. Figures for ATB budgets are based on estimated out-turns, and include income from public and non-public funds.

Waste Management

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding will be made available at the end of the current three year period to support the implementation of Area Waste Plans.

Ross Finnie: This is a matter for future Spending Reviews.

Water Industry

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has conducted relating to the effect on employment in the water and sewerage industry of the establishment of a single Scottish water authority.

Ross Finnie: The establishment of a single Scottish water authority represents the best means of ensuring sustainable employment in the public sector water industry in Scotland. Whatever the structure there is a need for substantial efficiency savings to deliver public health and environmental improvements whilst keeping customer charges under control. These efficiency savings would have been required of the three existing authorities in any case; the move to one authority should ease their delivery, and will therefore be a better guarantee of a long-term future for the public sector model.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-20307 on 7 December 2001, whether a copy of the Parent Company Guarantee provided by Flour City International Inc in respect of the obligations of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Sir David Steel: The convenor of the Holyrood Progress Group has confirmed that legal advice is currently being sought as to whether or not it is proper to release into the public domain details of the Parent Company Guarantee. If it is considered that there is no impediment in doing so, the relevant papers will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-20307 on 7 December 2001, whether any advice has been received concerning the enforceability of the Parent Company Guarantee provided by Flour City International Inc in respect of the obligations of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd and, if so, what the prospects are of any recovery being made under the guarantee.

Sir David Steel: Legal advice is currently being sought concerning the enforceability of the Parent Company Guarantee provided by Flour City International Inc in respect of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd. Once this advice has been received, an assessment will be made of the prospects for recovery under the guarantee.

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-20307 on 7 December 2001, whether any other contractor or contractors have been engaged to undertake the work contracted to Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd.

Sir David Steel: The Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group has confirmed that the contractor to supply and install the bay window element of the MSP building cladding has been appointed. Tenders have been returned for the remaining elements and these are being analysed.

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answer to question S1W-18874 on 12 October 2001, whether all design and specialist cladding services undertaken by Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd are the property of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.

Sir David Steel: Yes.

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what capital contracts are currently out to tender in relation to the Holyrood Project and what the timescale is in each case for (a) return of tenders, (b) award of contracts, (c) commencement on site and (d) completion of works.

Sir David Steel: There are no Trade Packages out to tender currently.

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-12273 on 25 January 2001, whether each of the works packages listed has been completed within the estimated contract duration stated and, if not, when it is estimated that the works in respect of each contract will be completed

Sir David Steel: All of the works packages listed in the answer to question S1W-12273 on 25 January 2001 were completed within the estimated contract duration with the exception of Tower Cranes, Queensberry House Scaffolding, Lifts (whole site) and Queensberry House Demolition/Reconstruction which are expected to run as previously estimated for a further 11 months, six months, 14 months and five months respectively .

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether any legal action against Flour City International Inc in respect of breach of contract by Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd can be pursued in Scotland and, if not, whether it must be pursued in the United States of America.

Sir David Steel: Legal advice is currently being sought which will enable the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body’s position to be fully determined in due course.

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-21899 on 23 January 2002, whether he will place copies of the Letter of Intent and formal contract in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Sir David Steel: The convener of the Holyrood Progress Group has confirmed that legal advice is currently being sought as to whether or not it is proper to release into the public domain details of the Letter of Intent and formal contract. If it is considered that there is no impediment in doing so, the relevant papers will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.